The Forgotten Warrior/Chapter 10
Chapter description :The chapter starts off with Ivypool cautiously slinking through the Dark Forest. It seems very crowded; within every clearing, at least one cat is training, racing across a path, or splashing through the mucky river. Anxious not to be called into any training session, Ivypool clings to the shadows, searching for one cat alone. She leaps into some ferns and peeks out to see Tigerheart and Mapleshade training together. :She had been terrified of the old she-cat ever since she had almost drowned her in the river in an earlier 'training session'. Ivypool's eyes widen as she notes that Mapleshade is clearly paler than she was before; Ivypool can see the trees behind her ghostly figure. Mapleshade then leans into Tigerheart and tells him that the Dark Forest will "stamp out the Clans" and that StarClan will bow down to them and the warriors that choose to not join the Dark Forest's forces will be punished until the end of their lives. Ivypool, horrified, shrinks back among the ferns desperately. :Mapleshade continues talking, but breaks off, scenting the air. She growls that she scents fear, and whips around towards Ivypool's hiding place. Mapleshade demands who has come with insufficient courage to face their Clanmates. The dark warrior, luckily, walks in the opposite direction of Ivypool. Mapleshade finds who she was looking for and yowls his name: Snowtuft. She roughly scolds him and Ivypool hears the sound of a well-dealt heavy blow and a high-pitched squeal of pain. :Ivypool realizes that Mapleshade probably wasn't coming back, and emerges from the ferns towards Tigerheart. The ShadowClan warrior casually asks Ivypool if she was sneaking around. Ivypool carefully replies that she was looking for him. She asks him about Dawnpelt and Dovewing said he tried to warn her at the Gathering. Tigerheart demands if she is worried about if he said something about what happened with Flametail. Tigerheart accuses Ivypool of doing something. Ivypool protests that she didn't do anything. Tigerheart snarls that nothing can justify her destroying his brother's spirit. :Ivypool prompts the warrior about Dawnpelt. Tigerheart hesitates, but eventually says that Dawnpelt blames Jayfeather for Flametail's death in the lake. He tells Ivypool, overcome in sadness and grief, that she doesn't know what it's like to lose a littermate; you want to blame anyone, anything, not just a crack in the ice. Ivypool feels sympathy for him, and thinks that she couldn't bear it if she lost Dovewing. Ivypool then tells herself that he doesn't deserve pity because he was listening to Mapleshade. Ivypool states that she doesn't know what Dawnpelt thinks she can do against ThunderClan, or maybe he can bring her here, the Dark Forest. :Tigerheart calmly states that it isn't up to him. Ivypool continues mockingly that he could put in a good word for her. Suddenly, before either of them can say anything, Hawkfrost emerges from the ferns. He states that she was keeping the apprentices waiting. Ivypool winces at being called an apprentice but asks herself why she should care and if she really wants to be a Dark Forest warrior. Ivypool wonders if the Dark Forest has anything to do with Sol, and even sums up the courage to ask Hawkfrost. She asks Hawkfrost if he knows Sol. Hawkfrost, confused, asks who that is. :Ivypool tells Hawkfrost a bit about Sol. Hawkfrost tells Ivypool that that was after his time in RiverClan, but he knows what happened, and asks why Ivypool brought it up. Ivypool sheepishly replies that she had wondered if she had ever been here, in the Place of No Stars. Hawkfrost asks if she wants to know if he is a true Clanmate. Ivypool says yes, and Hawkfrost tells her that he is a welcome presence in ThunderClan. :Ivypool thinks that that means that Sol is bad. They come out into a marsh, with four other cats there. Hawkfrost begins the lesson, which is fighting in difficult terrain. The next morning, Ivypool is chosen for the dawn patrol. Toadstep mutters that Ivypool needs to stop sniffing and asks her if she thinks she has greencough. Ivypool responds by saying that she just needs to wash her fur. Millie, leading the patrol, cuts in, saying that Ivypool's fur is fine, and that they should concentrate on what they're doing. Hazeltail, scouting around at the rear, suddenly freezes and creeps back to the rest of the cats. :She murmurs that she heard a cat walking close to the border. Millie sends Ivypool in one direction, and Millie goes in the other. Ivypool uses her stealth from the Dark Forest training to be extra-quiet as she slinks through the grass. Ivypool remembers the scent immediately: Sol. He halts as Millie approaches from his other side. He asks if he is being followed and that he isn't stealing any prey, because he ate so well the night before. :Millie asks him where he is going. Sol replies that he is going back to ShadowClan, to catch up for old times' sake. Millie warns him that he won't be welcome there. Sol says that he had friends there and that was a long time ago; he comes in peace. Ivypool mutters that he can steal ShadowClan's fresh-kill this time. Toadstep protests that that is a bit unfair, and Hazeltail adds that he saved the apprentices, so maybe he's changed. Millie sniffs, and growls that tabbies don't change their stripes. When the patrol returns back to camp, Firestar and Brambleclaw are going to the fresh-kill pile. :Millie and her patrol report to their leader and deputy. Brambleclaw springs to his paws and asks what he is going to tell them about ThunderClan. Firestar, however, is calm and tells his deputy to take it easy and maybe he won't betray them. Brambleclaw mutters that he still doesn't like it and every time he sees Sol, he wants to claw off his pelt. Firestar says that he doesn't want to encourage Sol to stay in ThunderClan, but if we persecute him without reason, he will cause trouble with the other three Clans. Brambleclaw growls that he isn't scared of the other Clans, or Sol. :Firestar says that if they have a chance to keep their enemies close, they shouldn't turn that down. Some other cats, Ivypool notes, had drifted up to listen. Dovewing asks Ivypool what that was about. Ivypool explains to her sister what happened by the border. Dovewing hisses that that cat is bad news and asks her sister if she knows if he is connected to the Dark Forest. Ivypool replies that she isn't sure, because Hawkfrost said that he was a welcome presence in ThunderClan. Dovewing's fur fluffs up and she says that is a bad sign. Ivypool meows that they can't do anything as long as Firestar lets him stay, and they'll have to keep an eye on him; Ivypool would never trust Sol at all, ever. Characters Major }} Minor *Mapleshade *Hawkfrost *Toadstep *Millie *Hazeltail *Sol *Brambleclaw *Firestar *Dovewing }} Mentioned *Dawnpelt *Flametail }} Notes and references Category:The Forgotten Warrior Category:Omen of the Stars arc Category:Chapter subpages